Massive Drone Assault Strikes Kharkiv, Leaving Casualties in Its Wake

Thu Sep 18 2025 11:56:14 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A fierce drone strike on Ukraine’s Kharkiv results in fatalities and significant damage to residential areas.

At least two lives were lost and 17 more individuals were injured in Ukraine's Kharkiv during an unprecedented drone attack, marking Russia's largest assault on the city to date. According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, the attack involved the launch of 48 drones along with two missiles and four gliding bombs. He reported extensive damage, particularly to high-rise residential buildings, with dramatic footage depicting flames consuming sections of one structure. This escalation follows a previous night when Russia unleashed over 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles, resulting in the deaths of six people and injuries to 80 others nationwide.

In response to these aggressive tactics, Ukraine has undertaken counteroffensive operations, dubbed Operation Spider Web, targeting Russian strategic warplanes at air bases far within enemy territory. Ukrainian officials assert that they successfully struck at least 40 Russian aircraft during the operation. Reports indicate that a total of 117 drones were smuggled into Russia, cleverly concealed within wooden cabins on trucks. These vehicles, likely driven by unsuspecting individuals, were subsequently positioned close to Russian installations for remote drone launches.

This latest incident is part of the ongoing conflict that escalated significantly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, intensifying concerns over military actions in the region.